Hypnobirthing

[EmberElftree]

Anyone else had or planning a hypnobirth? My due date is 4th October and we are 2 classes in to our course. Makes sense so far but would love to hear others experiences post birth in particular. I'm hoping for a water birth but I have a reherniated disc so will have to see how I get on on the day (whenever that will be!)

Did yoga with first pregnancy and it helped a little but still ended up with pethidine, g&a and a vac birth and being scared wit-less.

Second time around I managed to read a hypno-birthing book just before birth (finished it while in labour) and I have to admit that it helped immensely. Second birth was at 32wks and knowing exactly what my body was doing helped keep me calm. I had a quick birth and felt great after, despite the worry of baby having to go to SCUBU. Also the breathing techniques I learned in Yoga 5 years earlier were still useful (I imagined blowing up a big balloon with each contraction).

Best of luck OP.

Bricabrac I agree that keeping moving is helpful. Walking up/down the corridoor, sitting on a yoga ball, swivelling hips etc. is great for positioning baby to make an exit.
Eating and drinking is important too. Didn't do it with first and had no energy for pushing stage; grazed all day with second and was heaps better.

Also OP if you manage to go without medication/epidural etc., and are not monitored during birth, push when -you- / -your- -body- is ready, and not when a midwife/dr tells you to. I politely told them to sod off and I'd push when I felt like it.

Bugger, should be you / your body (should always preview first )

I'm pregnant with DC3 and have had x2 home births. I think a popular misconception is that the 'objective' is to achieve 'pain free' birth. I had an excellent teacher and used an excellent programme, where the focus is more about a) not suffering as you labour (as so many women do) by having good tools at your disposal and b) having 'the right birth in the day' by understanding what's important to you about your own birth (because they're all unique) and knowing how to make good informed decisions.

I'm preparing for Dc3 using the same HB practise and preparation now - including revisiting what's important for me about the birth, and working with DH to discuss making informed decisions. It's worth it because I know every birth is different and no one can guarantee what path any labour will take.

I found a Book by Dr Anne Drapkin Lyerly called 'A Good Birth' very helpful, as it reinforces what makes a 'good birth'. In her research project women reported that feeling well supported, well informed, well prepared and listened to were more important factors (in women reporting a 'good birth') than the method of delivery.

I do know women who have felt very let down by HB'ing. I very much hope that practitioners are more realistic about what the aims of HB birth preparation programmes are, because the tools and techniques you learn should be helpful to you regardless of how your labour progresses. And no woman should ever feel anything other than an utter utter goddess once she's given birth, regardless of how it happened. It's a bloody amazing thing to do, and we should all be more respectful of every woman that does it, however she chooses to do it/it ends up for her. IMO, obviously....

Sorry - meant to say at the beginning that I used hypnobirthing for both previous labours. First was over 3 days and babe was back to back. Second was about 90mins probably due to horrendously slack pelvic floor I found both to be intense but manageable. But as I said in earlier post, I'm not testing on my laurels for dc3. A good HB course and teacher should be preparing you for any eventuality.

Good luck, OP, I wish you the very best, and that you feel proud of yourself and that you had a 'Good Birth' whatever the method of your delivery. Exciting times!

I used it successfully for DD's birth in March. I had an uncomplicated pregnancy and she was in a good position. The key thing it did for me was take away my fear. I didn't panic when the contractions became intense which helped me to manage them. With my son (induced labour as I was overdue but otherwise uncomplicated) I found the pain terrifying.

Oh and my local classes were fully booked so I used the Maggoe Howells CDs

Hypnobirthing practitioners were also very negative about doctors. It was a total contrast to how the doctors I had with both births treated me - the senior registrar at DD's birth was calm, incredibly supporting and stood quietly out of the way with his arms folded, until it became very clear that DD needed out- now. Eight minutes later she was out. Exactly the same with DS - doctor tweaked him slightly with forceps, the forceps fell out and he got out of the way allowing the student midwife to do the rest of the delivery. They were absolutely fab.

VeryPuny - yes. The negativity towards doctors and "medicalised" birth is one of my main problems with hypnobirthing, I think.

It's all very well saying that, in years gone by and in other cultures, women successfully labour with no medical intervention. But mortality rates were also much higher then.

Simple fact is, DS and I would both almost definitely have died if the consultant hadn't intervened. His heart rate had dropped dangerously low, while mine was too high. After he got stuck and had to be pulled out, I lost an awful lot of blood. I was in such a bad state that I don't remember his being born, though I'm told I was semi-conscious.

Hypnobirthing rhetoric, meanwhile, would have me believe that my body should have known what it was doing, and it was somehow my fault (not enough positive thoughts?) that DSs birth went the way it did.

I just wanted to weigh in with my possibly useless opinion as a first time mum to be in a few weeks. I come from a country in the developing world where urban metropolises are C section centralise gynaecologists are uber rich and a vaginal birth is considered abnormal. The rest of the country starves in poverty and births in the fields. Unbelievable but true.

So to me, till a few months ago birth meant hospitals, instruments, loads of drugs, ending with a Caeserean because that's how Aunty 1 2 3 4 cousin a b c d and friends A to Z have had their babies back home. I knew and know every bit about forceps and ventouse (cousin X was ventouse and scarred etc etc ) and the idea that C sections are a failure is totally foreign to me, like I said I was raised to believe babies come out of bellies in the cities, only "poor people" give birth the other way, shock horror. (I was an off chance vaginal birth as I came out while they were trying my mum to stirrups to get her ready for a c section, it was over in 7 minutes)

l so imagine my petrified terror when I learnt that in the uk I'd be expected to have a vaginal birth. I've stopped speaking to most people back home as they will be petrified on my behalf that I will be expected to birth a child without being under general anaesthesia. Caesereans are a giant part of my country's urban economy. But that petrified fear is now behind me, as I have learnt that it really is not abnormal to birth vaginally.

The hypnobirthing class I am doing is called WiseHippo. The instructor is a retired nhs midwife and has birthed babies for 35 years. Not once have I seen the idea peddled that hospitals and doctors are bad, or that c sections are a failure. In fact there's an entire section of the workbook dedicated to hypnosis before and during c sections. The instructor frequently talks of hypnobirthing ladies whose birth she has attended as doula and some involve home births with no pain relief others involve epidurals and instruments.

The only message I am getting out of the classes is - it's nice to feel calm, whatever comes. Even our tapes and affirmations say "however your birth day goes....whichever way you birth". So not for a moment am I being told that a vaginal, drug free whale music home birth is the ideal birth.

I don't know how birth will go. I only know I've never been on hormonal contraception in my life and have experienced A and E trip worthy flooring debilitating periods since age 9. No causes. My uterus would spasm in surges like knives rising and falling inside me. Hypnosis helped me where prescription dose codeine never touched the sides. I only know doing the exercises, tapes and massage and breathing at home has helped me feel way more calm in body and mind in the last few weeks than I was before. I sleep very well. My limbs feel perpetually relaxed and my fists are unclenched. I know I am sleeping lots and I don't feel terrified.

Look. Maybe my birth will end up in an EMCS. my entire family and friends in home country will breathe a huge sigh of relief because that's the birth they "know". I'm not sure if I'll be disappointed because it's new knowledge to me that drug free vaginal births are so valued. I don't know. But if I can stay calm and relaxed through whatever comes, and if these few weeks are making me feel so well slept, my hands and feet so much less achey and me so much more at ease with the huge change ahead, it's already been a success. On my part I hope to try not use these same techniques if and when forceps or scalpels are brought out. If they aren't, very well then, and onwards.

Various typos. My last sentence should read - On my part I hope to try TO use these same techniques if and when forceps or scalpels are brought out. If they aren't, very well then, and onwards.

Focusfocus - my second hypnobirthing course was Wise Hippo. In my course materials (this was summer last year), C sections are hardly mentioned, so there's little scope to talk negatively about them. All the stories about birth are from people who found contractions "intense". No stories from women who ended up with intervention. No stories from women who couldn't cope using the techniques. Nothing to say - things didn't go according to plan, but I still found that the techniques helped whilst epidural was inserted etc. No stories from people who had complicated labours. I certainly wasn't terrified about any of my labours or births - I actively looked forward to the arrival of my babies - but that didn't stop them being extremely painful experiences, relieved only by epidurals, at which point I could relax and enjoy my babies' arrivals. Part of the hypnobirthing mantra is to avoid people talking negatively about births, so that's why they don't include less than ideal stories, but for me it would have been far more useful to include non-ideal birth scenarios, because despite having an EMCS with DD, her birth was possbly the absolute highlight of my life so far. I'm deeply angry that hypnobirthing left me with such a complex feeling of failure about it.

I think hypnobirthing works because most people have "straightforward" births, and would probably have had okay births with or without hypnobirthing. The language surrounding it, meanwhile, throws women who have complicated (sometimes life threatening) labours to the wolves.

Really interesting post focus

It's fascinating how birth is dealt with in different countries / cultures.

I'm just reading through the notes on interventions in my material from my class. Of course it isn't exhaustive (would I look for exhaustive descriptions of how to use breathing and relaxation in NHS medical material? Probably not) but I can see sections on breech, sweeps, inductions, forceps,ventouse, and Caesereans including elective Caesereans and suggestions for which of the audio tracks to use for women who have been pre booked onto elective Caesereans. It also says women who are getting c sections or who think they might can ask the instructor for additional support with regards to adapting the content of the course to understand the c section process and cope etc.

My instructor just described last class a hypnobirth with an epidural at the end and the ways in which the lady coped (well!).

Leads me to think the instructor makes a difference. But I have also forwarded the page on elective sections and naughtily a copy of the relevant MP3 (also maggie Howells mp3 on c sections and hospitals) to a friend back home, so it's not like there's absolutely nothing.

There is little, yes, I comparison to say nhs antenatal classes, so we are doing both. Both sets of info are there. I won't expect the nhs sessions to go in depth into breathing, massage and relaxation, although they will mention it I am sure. The hypnobirthing course is mentioning interventions quite a bit, but obviously not as much as elsewhere.

I am just trying to walk into my first birth with a patchwork quilt of info from different sources. I know I've got the drugs standing by, and I know I have my Hypno prep, DH and doula also standing by - and the baby will come out one way or the other. I know my entire family on the other side of the world are waiting in terror knowing something bizarre is about to happen to their poor daughter in the absence of a gynaecologists waiting to cut her belly. I do hope I survive the birth because if not they will be convinced it was because I didn't have a Caeserean I.e.. The only safe way to birth.

I don't think we can ever conclusively conclude if women with whom hypnobirthing worked would have had straightforward births of the same nature anyway - many would disagree, and perhaps for right reason. I know if it works for me, I will credit hypnobirthing, because I have gone from terrified tokophobia (coming from a c section is normal culture) to a person who is open to a vaginal birth and whose muscles really don't ache so much. A terrified clenched mum trying to prevent baby coming out as she has been raised to believe vaginal delivery is weird? Or a calm mummy trying to attempt a vaginal birth expecting 100 times worse than the period spasm that had her vomiting in A and E in January, but still, not as terrified as she was and actually open to the idea that it's perhaps possible to have a vaginal birth? Which state is better? I'd say the latter. It has already helped. I am already sleeping well. I am already opening up (forgive the pun) to the idea that a baby will come out of me possibly without a knife. Which in itself is breathtakingly surprising for me. Would it have happened anyway? Nope. Likewise, I don't think, for the hundreds who have benefitted from hypnobirthing one can say it would have happened anyway, and the prep is just a coincidence.

But this doesn't obviously extend to say another woman's baby was breech because she didn't chant mantras loud enough to turn it. Or that someone else had fourth degree tears because she didn't imagine how ripe like a flower her cervix was. That's insanity and if there are these messages being sent out to mothers, that's horrific.

I've only got weeks left, and I'll stick to it because I am sleeping so well, and my muscles don't ache. For a lifelong insomniac and a habitual worrier with achey muscles topping the list, it's worked :)

I didn't do the course or read the book but I did listen to the (Maggie Howell) cds before I had DD.

I found them really useful, I don't think the cds alone set up any particular expectation of what labour will be like so maybe it is better to avoid the 'theoretical' content and just use the cds?

I actually went into labour expecting to use the cds and ask for an epidural when things got painful...except they never did.

I got as far as the pushing stage but despite pushing for hours, dd was stuck and I needed forceps to turn her before she could be born.

I think the hypnotherapy helped me stay calm even in a less than ideal birth. The important thing is to understand that there are some things which no amount of breathing techniques will help with, ie.a baby stuck in the wrong position. If any course or book tries to tell you different, then that will set you up for potential disappointment and feelings of failure if things don't go to plan.

I also.found the postnatal relaxation cd was the only thing which sent me to sleep on the horrible postnatal ward.

I found the programme I studied life changing in many ways it was not just about birth it has helped me in my mothering journey.

Both my births where different one on dry land April 2015 and my first in water at home in October 2013. I used the techniques and did not feel the need for any drugs. I used my bodies own hormones and instinct.

One was just over 4 hours and my second was a lot longer the birthing phase was 27 minutes with my first and 6 minutes with my second the body is truly amazing.

I paid for private Wisehippo classes with my mum and partner and these where worth every single penny we paid it the best investment we have made as we have the most chilled family with very happy and calm boys.

I'm so excited for you :)

I must add I had a rare medical condition and the programme helped me to not focus on the worst case but the right birth on the day :)

I was a very unique case and the hospital supported my decisions as I was well educated in what could happen and was focused on the best possible out come for myself. After the birth of my baby :)

I have been thinking about this further over yesterday - I think it is crucial to remember that if there is a real, physical eventuality then it needs and will receive real, medical interventions. It is not a question of not envisaging a red light redly enough, or not imagining hard enough that your uterus is like an opening flower.

But - the techniques do speak about calm, relaxation and control - all of which are invaluable for even the most stressful flight or fight situations.

I am going into birth knowing full well at least 10% of what excruciating uterine spasms feel like. In my last period this January - I was banging my head on the kitchen floor, DH was on the line with the ambulance, and I was rolling on the kitchen floor side to side with the nauseating uterine spasms (not a single pill have I ever had, so this was my "usual" from age 9, for no identifiable cause). Ended up in A and E. So I am not going in expecting a contraction to feel like a gentle intense surge of a wave against the sand. I am working towards dealing with what it really will be.

I am going into birth planning a drug free water birth. I am going into birth prepared to come out with a forceps or C section delivery if that is what will develop.

In either of those scenarios - I plan to use my relaxation audio and techniques which I do diligently practice - NOT because i think that is the golden road to my trance like water birth, but (1) it makes me feel and sleep so much better in this last, heavy trimester and (2) its a toolkit for "whichever way my birthing goes" - quoting one of the audio tracks.

whether it works or it does not cannot be measured by whether you had the dream birth you planned. Heck - I dont even have a birth plan, i have a birth preferences list.

And yes, if hard work and practice goes some way in calming ourselves and removing fear and if that then impacts muscles in some unmeasurable way, it has worked.

Focus I think you are going into it with the right attitude. If it is any help, I don't think my contractions were any worse than how you describe your period pains.

Contractions are a bit like waves, but you need to imagine a stormy sea where the waves are knocking you off your feet and spinning you around so you can't breathe, rather than waves gently lapping on a tropical beach

The feeling of contractions really depends upon how your baby is presented though. Mine was back to back, so I didn't have any "normal" contraction pain.
It was more like someone trying to smash my backbone from the inside, with a blunt object.

Labour is different for everyone. While I was pregnant I underwent a minor op with no anaesthesia, due to the potential impact on the baby.
The doctors had never done said op with no anaesthetic and didn't think I'd be able to cope. But I was ok. Yes, it hurt like fuckery, but I've got a high pain threshold, and coped. The doctors were pretty surprised at how I'd dealt with it, to say the least.

After that, I thought I could deal with labour. I also had years of endurance sport behind me, so I knew I could cope with sustained pain for hours. However, at the height of labour with DS - after they broke my waters and his head started trying to force its way out of my lower spine - I would happily have shot myself in the head if a revolver had been to hand.

By contrast, six weeks later I went for a coil fitting. I could barely feel a thing, was just like v mild cramping. The GP told me that the previous woman who had had a cool fitted had told her, in all seriousness, that the feeling was worse than labour. I was and very envious

As I said, labour is not the same for everyone. I believe all those women who say they felt only intense "sensations" and that hypnobirthing mantras were the only coping mechanism they needed.
But I get the feeling that I, and lots of women like me, are not believed by staunch hypnobirthing adherents when we say our labours were simply not like that...

Hi running, if anyone has said to you that a posterior baby with artificial breaking of waters isn't very complex and not something to be dealt with by natural pain relief - they are insane. All the books and material I'm reading acknowledge posterior presentation as a real situation and also acknowledge that if baby hasn't turned or ends up that way in the course of labour, interventions must be.

On the whole though, it would be good for all women going into labour, to keep in mind that posterior presentation (and the resultant agony) or a breech or transverse lie (and the resultant surgery) is something to be very aware of, but also that these remain more the minority of instances than the majority. The majority of babies do not present back to back (and of course mine can, anyone's can) and I find it crucial in these final weeks, to yes be informed, but to also remain optimistic that I may just end up being one of those majority who do not have back labours.

Again, all might end up in the delivery ward with interventions. Which is why we insisted on a tour of both the birth centre and the delivery ward despite being told many times that we didn't need to see the ward. Anything is possible.

I'm just finding my hypnobirthing class very useful for the third trimester and would like to carry that with me as I enter a process which could go from trance in water to scalpels in the OT within five minutes. If nothing else, the insomniac in me is sleeping well these days :)

Focus - yes, they have. I've been informed more than once, usually with a tilt of the head and a patronising gaze, that a back to back delivery "isn't much more painful, surely."

I really do hope that the hypnobirthing practise works for you and that your birth experience is a wholly positive one.

That's interesting running - I am generally the first to admit I am a bit of a wimp, but found contractions quite manageable - whether that was the hypnobirthing or just me being a freak I don't know . The most painful bit was the recovery, by a long way (forceps delivery).

You see, my recovery from a forceps delivery wasn't so bad. I couldn't walk for a fortnight but after that it got much easier. Birth is genuinely very, very different for different people.

I've really found it interesting reading this thread as I did a short session last night with the Wise Hippo and I want to continue with the full course.

It's what was said by Focus before "The right birth on the right day" that got me. The instructor was saying how it's not necessarily intervention or pain relief free.

I had one friend who did the Wise Hippo who had one of those births you see on the videos (no pain relief, happy happy baby) and one who did hypnobirthing but had the baby's coil wrapped round her neck a few times, so she had an epidural, forceps, ventouse and then finally an emergency c-section. She was left with a lot of recovery and trauma but she said the hypnobirthing did make her feel less scared.

Me, I've had a series of invasive biopsies and treatments on my cervix and I hated it - I clenched up with fear, literally, and would bleed on every tiny smear test after. I hope this helps me relax a bit and if it all goes tits up, maybe I can be calm enough to understand what decisions I need to make!